Chairman of Stafford inquiry calls for criminal sanctions against those who cause serious harm to patients

The man who refused to hold one person accountable for the deaths at Stafford Hospital has said today that individuals who cause serious harm to patients should face criminal sanctions.

Robert Francis QC, the Chairman of the public inquiry into the serious failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust now says that public confidence in the health service would 'evaporate' unless the change is made.

But speaking when the Stafford Report came out, he defended the decision not to name names saying his was an inquiry not a court of law.